Free Forever Knight (The Champion Chronicles Book 3) by Brad Clark Page A

sailors.”
    “Today, you will take orders from me.  Man poses a threat to our existence and we must wipe out the threat before they wipe us out.  The last time that they held the power of the web of magic, they almost destroyed the world.  We cannot let them have that power again.  We will not sneak around and spend days or weeks trying to find out who it is that has the power.  We must act quickly and aggressively, if need be.”
    “We cannot expose ourselves so openly,” the captain countered.  “If they were to attack this ship, we are but a handful of fishermen.  We are not soldiers and we are definitely not an army.”
    “We must draw out their mages to find them.  That is how we will expose them.  And when they are exposed, then I will slay them.  I have waited thousands of years to continue the war with man.  And this time, we will win.”
    “That is not what the king wishes,” the captain said coolly.  “The king will not want war.  He will want this threat removed, but he will not want war again.”
    “Mankind is a scourge upon the earth, and I will eradicate them.”
    “You would do well to control your anger.  It will be your downfall.”
    “I have controlled it!” Glaerion snapped back.  “For five thousand years, I have held it at bay.  Now it is time for my anger to be released on mankind.  You were not there.  You were not betrayed by Man and you did not fight in their wars.  I was there and I remember each and every moment.  I remember each and every elven death and that is why I will have my vengeance.  If you had in your memories what I have, then you would feel as angry as I do.”
    “It is true I was born in exile, but maybe that has given me perspective.  We do not need a war with them.”
    “You do not have perspective!” Glaerion shot back.  “You have a childish naiveté.  You will find out soon enough, though.  When Man is confronted and they fight back, you will see the barbarians that they are.  I only hope it will not be too late and that I am able to kill these mages first.”
    Glaerion spun and marched off into the darkness towards the ship’s bow.  Captain Janari watched with sadness at the anger that he saw from Glaerion.  It was true that he had not been born in the time of the wars with Man.  It was many years afterwards that his mother bore him.  What he knew of those times were only exaggerated tales told to children at bedtime.  Rarely did anyone talk honestly of those days and when they did, it was only about the good times of living in their homeland.  He could not imagine what the war must have been like, so he could not judge Glaerion for his anger.  But the king’s commands were clear.  They were not to expose themselves to danger or risk their ability to quickly return back to their home.  The king needed information more than he needed Glaerion to run off and seek revenge.
    With a strong wind at his back, the sails were stiff and full, pushing the elven ship quickly through the water.  It would soon be time for one of his men to take over piloting duty, but he would turn them away.  There was not an ounce of weariness in his body as he was anxious to see the land of Man.  The danger both excited him and made him fearful, which made him still undecided on how much he would help Glaerion if he went against the king’s orders.  Life as a fisherman was not exciting and the thought of an adventure in a strange land did excite him.
     
    ***
     
    Captain Janari was still manning the tiller when the sun began its slow climb up the eastern sky.  Glaerion returned to the open deck, shaking the coldness out of his bones.  The skies had cleared and the air was much colder than it had been during the night.  He could see each breath of his sailors as they went about their morning duties.
    Janari kept his gaze upon the northern horizon as Glaerion approached.
    “I apologize if my anger felt directed at you,” Glaerion said.
    Janari